Q and A's!!

So, I thought I would do a blog devoted to frequent questions I get asked and give the real scoop on studying and living in Northern Ireland.

Questions from the Irish:

1. If you are asked, "Where are you from?" answer with what state you are from. They already know you are from America by the accent! The response I always get after saying I'm from California is a sigh and a dream-like look. The Irish feel that California (let alone America) is a dream place to live in. Then, of course, they follow with questions such as, "What part of CA are you from?", "What famous people have you met?", "Is Laguna Beach a REAL place?", "Can I switch places with you?". haha Just one simple question can carry on into a very funny conversation.
2. "Is high school really like what we see on TV?" - Now this is an interesting question to try and answer as I always thought that my high school was rather...special. I try to tell them that yes, some high school may be like the ones you see on the tele, but many, such as my high school, are quite different than that. Another question similar to this one is "Are the sororities/fraternities like what we see on TV?" - Same reply basically.
3. "Were you/are you afraid to be living in a war zone?" - No. I did my research to be sure that where I was going to be studying was safe and all our program coordinators reassured us that Northern Ireland is now one of the safest places you can be in the world (safer than most, if not all American cities).
4. "Were your parents/are your parents afraid that you are studying in a war zone/different country?" - Mom, dad, you can answer this one = ) I generally say that of course they are to some degree "worried" as they would be if I had gone to any country by myself. But they support my decision to study abroad and are very proud of me.
5. "What do you think of our country?" - I say that I like it and everyone that I've met has been really friendly and helpful, but there are some things that I am still getting used to. And of course, it's absolutely beautiful.
6. "Are you homesick yet?" - No, ask me mid-term. Maybe I'll have a different answer then. haha
7. "Do you miss buffalo wings?" - HAHAAA  And this just shows one perception of Americans that the Irish have. Apparently we eats lots of buffalo wings. And no, I don't miss buffalo wings because I've never had buffalo wings - shock!!
8. "Do you live at home when you're at school?" - No, I don't. They are generally quite shocked when I tell them that we live in dorms and that I was expecting to have a roomate here in Northern Ireland. Here, I have my own room and bathroom (crazy!!) and me and my 4 other flatmates share a kitchen.
9. "Do have Irish blood?" - Yes, some, but I'm 3/4 German.
10. "Team Edward or Jacob?" - Yes, Twilight is HUGE here. Most people here seem to prefer Jacob (the character), but they also LOVE Robert Pattinson. They all STRONGLY dislike Kristen Stewart. Sorry Kristen, you don't have any Irish fans! haha And, in case you were wondering, I'm team Switzerland.

Questions that you all might have, but didn't think to ask or don't want to ask!

1. "What is it like living in a drinking culture?" - Before I proceed, I must clarify, for those of you who don't know, that I do not drink. It is both for personal reasons and the fact that I am still 20. So, drinking here is more of a social event. If you go to a pub, you will see whole families there (including children - don't worry, they don't drink). The students here do get drunk, but they don't completely abuse alcohol like people do in America. Also, the alcohol content and amount served in for 1 drink is WAY more than what people drink in America. The Irish have a higher tolerance. Yes, my flatmates do drink. They know I don't drink and don't pressure me to do so, but they still include me in their socials. Also, Monday nights are HUGE party nights. Everyone goes out on Monday night because everyone has come back from the weekend and everyone wants to know the craic (remember, that can mean "news") on everyone's lives. Weekends are really pretty quiet. I hope this answers the question enough!! If you have any more specific questions about this, please let me know!
2. "What are your classes/professors/studies really like?" - By the general structure and appearance, the classes here would seem very similar. To refresh your memory, I'm taking a Business, Psychology, and Choreography class. For each module (class), you will have one "lecture" each week. The "lecturer" (teacher/professor) will talk about the material during the lecture. Lectures are usually around 2 hours long. Then, the lecture class is split up into smaller "seminar" groups. These seminar groups meet once a week for about an hour with the lecturer. This give the opportunity to do group discussions or ask about the material. This structure is true for my Business and Psychology class. For my Choreography class, we meet once a week for 2 hours to experiment with different ideas and choreograph mini "studies" on each other. Then we have rehearsal times outside of class to work on our independent project. The one thing that is very different in this class is that the teacher does not start us off with an improvisation activity (which I am used to from Chapman and the RDA Intensive in N. Carolina). She just splits us into groups and one person is the choreographer, then we just begin.
My lecturers are all very nice and, for the most part, are easy to understand. But be warned, they often do not attend their listed office hours nor may they reply to an email. Your best bet is to talk to them before or after class.
Probably the biggest difference for me are my fellow students. They are definitely not as keen to participate as American students might be. This behavior might be found as offensive in America, but it is perfectly acceptable here.
3. "Do you think your classes are easy or hard?" - I feel that my Business class is really easy so far, but I honestly can't complain about that. My Psych and Choreo class seem to be just right.
4. "Is it ever sunny there? What's the weather really like?" - Yes!! In fact, we've had quite a few sunny days lately. Unless there is a really bad storm coming through, it hardly ever rains constantly all day. It is generally 60 F as the absolute highest temperature. We are due for MUCH colder weather when we hit late October, November, and December.
5. "Are you getting an Irish accent?" - Not that I can notice, however, the other day I was speaking to my flatmates and I definitely said part of the sentence in their accent. We all paused then laughed. I must say though that I am picking up MANY different phrases and words that they use here. I'll have to do a separate post on that. Many of them can be quite entertaining and funny. Also, I've noticed for quite a while now that all of my thoughts in my head are with an Irish accent. I get very disappointed and confused when I speak and my voice doesn't sound like what I think it does. = )
6. "Do they like the same TV shows, movies, etc?" - In general, yes. They are very well accustomed to our American culture via our TV shows and movies. They enjoy Glee, Jersey Shore, Grey's Anatomy, Gossip Girl...these are only some I can think of. It seems that they watch/know more about them than I do. They also have their own versions of our TV shows such as Britain's Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (which I'm quite good at!), Britain's Next Top Model, X Factor (America's Got Talent), etc.
7. "How is the health care there?" - Bad. We were told by the school nurse to not come to see her unless you have a disease or you are dying. Yikes!! Health care is free, but you must register with a doctor here if you are staying for more than 6 months.
8. "Do you have potatoes with every meal?" - haha No, I don't. The Irish, like America, enjoy eating foods from other cultures. You will find everything here except for Mexican food. And for some very odd reason, they believe that American pizza is really really good. hmmm... By the way, they have Domino's here - very strange.
9. "Are you having a difficult time understanding them with their accent?" - More so in the beginning. The Derry accent is much thicker than a Dublin accent. I haven't had to ask someone to write down what they were trying to say in a while now = ) They are all very understanding when I say that I can't understand them and they try to slow down and enunciate (which often makes absolutely no difference). But, like I said, I feel that I am definitely able to understand the majority of what everyone says to me.
10. "Are you going to end up moving there?" - I absolutely LOVE it here, but I will be returning to America for my studies. After that, well, I'd love to travel more. Perhaps I will end up living abroad.

Well, that's all for now!! I know that was a lot of text, so I will reward you with this beautiful picture I took of the main building on campus. The students here call it the "Harry Potter" building because it looks like Hogwarts. There is even a Great Hall inside! No joke.

Okay then, let me know if you want me to elaborate on any more questions or have any more questions of your own!!

Cheers

Belfast for the Day!!

 Here are some pictures of the amazing day I had in Belfast! What a grand city!!

The red brick building is where the original Titanic was built!! The length of the building extended way beyond this photo. They are also recreating a life size Titanic.

The Parliament (or is it the White House...haha)

The beautiful view of Belfast (facing away from Parliament).

 There are tons of murals in Belfast. It is the city where the Troubles originally started (on Bombay Street to be exact). The following two murals are my favorites that we got to see. They really make me realize how much Belfast and Northern Ireland in general have changed in a rather short period in history.

Hopefully you can read the scroll on that mural. It says it all perfectly.

 I love this sculpture!! It is called "Thanksgiving Beacon" and is a symbol of peace in Northern Ireland. It stands about 15m (50 feet) high and is the tallest statue in Northern Ireland.

This is Belfast's smallest house.

I just really like this guy.

Our AMAZING dessert that we ordered!! Yummmm...

This is Belfast City Hall. Absolutely beautiful architecture around the entire building along with statues and memorials.

Me in front of Queens University (shhhh! Don't tell anyone from my campus!)

Ahh, look what we got to go see for free. The Botanic Gardens! It was a gorgeous park that really let you enjoy nature and your surroundings.

The Tropical Ravine, established in 1887, we went into.

Me in the Tropical Ravine. So many beautiful (and strange) plants!

The Palm Ravine (established in 1839-40). We didn't get to go inside, but the outside was just as magnificent!

We found the outdoor Rose Garden! It was so big, my camera definitely could not capture the scope of the maze of roses. How beautiful would this garden be if they were all in bloom? We could only imagine...

The scenery to and from Belfast was spectacular!! We saw tons of sheep as you can see here. This cannot even begin to capture the magnificent beauty of this country. There is man-made beauty and Earth's natural beauty. When you see the works of mother nature, it is like nothing short of witnessing a miracle.

This is great craic, isn't it?

Here's a video of the trail ride we went on in Gorey during our homestay. I meant to take a picture and didn't realize my camera was recording. haha So sorry about the laughing in the beginning. Hopefully, despite my poor videotaping skills on horseback, you can see the beautiful scenery that we were surrounded by. You can also hear the accent of the girl who is talking to me (she is saying that to her, that is just another green hill and the Irish often forget how beautiful the country is) and, of course, the clip-clops of the horse's hooves. = )
I've very sorry for the long break in my writing. I got really sick and was just trying to make it through the last day of orientation and getting everything ready for school. I am glad to announce that I am feeling much better and I can actually hear out of my left ear!
The orientation for international students at the University of Ulster was, in my opinion, rather uneventful. Probably the only worthwhile experience was that we went to the Guildhall (where we were supposed to meet the mayor, but he was sick - as was I haha) then we had a tour of "The Walled City" (aka Derry).

Here's a photo of the Guildhall

This is a video looking out over the walls at the city. If you look closely (mostly on the bottom buildings near the street) you can see the famous Bogside Murals. I am hopefully going to get a tour of those murals this coming Sunday.
Me and two other American students are also planning a trip to Belfast this Saturday. It's a great city, and a must see since it also has holds a lot of history.
I have made it through my first week of school. I think I will really enjoy all of my classes this semester. My lecturers are all very friendly and are excited to have an American in the class. Needless to say, the dynamics of the classes are very different than America. I think sometimes the lack of response or participation from the students here would come as an insult in America, but here, it is very normal and not taken as offensive. I am taking a first year Business class, a second year Psychology class, and a third year Choreography class. I also joined the Dance Society club where we will get 2 classes free each week and will get guest choreographers and teachers to come teach us different styles of dance. I'm very excited for the club and can't wait to rehearse and perform!
I suppose I should explain the title of this post then? Well, there are loads of words that the Irish use that we Americans either don't have in our vocabulary or we use them differently. For example, "craic" (pronounced "crack) means "fun" or "news". The locals here use it ALL THE TIME. It is very funny being an American and hearing that in every other sentence. Another word I just learned from my flatmates is that "fringe" in Irish means "bangs" in American. I also find that the lingo here in Northern Ireland is completely different than in Dublin and in Gorey. My host mother would ALWAYS say "yer man", which means "what's his face", but no one says that here. There are so many other words and phrases, the list could go on and on. If you would like me to keep posting differences in the Irish and American dialogues, let me know.
I feel that I am getting much better at understanding the Irish when they speak. Not only are their accents much thinker in Northern Ireland, but they mumble and speak VERY quickly. However, all of my thoughts are now with an Irish accent...
All right then, more pictures to come. Hopefully I'll go out on a sunny day and take some pictures of my school (which is absolutely beautiful).
Cheers

I miss Trixie!! She is my host family's dog. She would always come in my room and sunbathe in the mornings. = )

Bus Tour/Homestay/Derry

Hey there! It has been so long since I have made a post because I was without internet during my homestay. This post will be rather concise since I am working on getting an adapter in order to charge my computer. I'll give more details of what exactly has been going in my life when I get everything organized.
So for now, enjoy these pictures!

On our last day in Dublin, we took the "hop-on-hop-off" bus tour of Dublin.

A beautiful view of Dublin from the top of St. Michael's Tower

Me horseback riding in Gorey (where my host family lived). My horse's name is Jill. Yay!! = )

The beautiful view coming out of Heritage Park in Wexford.

As far as the 4 hour drive up from Gorey to Derry, Northern Ireland, all I can say is that I saw more sheep, cows, and horses that day than I did people.
More pictures and updates to come!
Cheers

Sorry, I don't speak Irish...yet

So here are some random thoughts and facts from the last couple of days.
First off, if you are going to live in Ireland, you have to get used to walking everywhere. I personally have really been enjoying walking everywhere, but I guess it could be a big adjustment for some people. With that in mind, Irish food have very little or no preservatives. So when I go to buy food at school, I cannot buy as much as I would in America because it will go bad quickly. With both of these thoughts, you can probably conclude that there are very few larger people in Ireland. I believe I have only seen a couple of obese people here. Well, that's because everyone is always walking everywhere and buying less food (and the food that we do consume is healthier!!)
Speaking of walking, I also learned that most Irish families have one small car per family. And if you thought gas is expensive in America, it is at least $3.00-$4.00 more here in Ireland! 
Yesterday, we felt the effects of Hurricane Earl. It was pouring rain all day! Even the Irish said that it is very unlikely that it would ever rain for that hard for that long.

Outside The Book of Kells at Trinity College in the pouring rain!

In contrast, today was a beautiful day. I saw 2 rainbows that went all the way across the city!

We had a very lengthy orientation today. I learned A LOT about the school I'll be going to and what to expect. We were also informed of many different Irish phrases and words and what the American words or phrases are in translation. Be warned, "pants" in Ireland means "underwear"! There are many more words like that as well.

This is the equivalent to "line forms here" in America.

 Speaking of not understanding the Irish, we just got back from seeing a play tonight at the Abbey Theatre. I have to say, the first half of the play I could barely understand because of their accents and how quickly they were speaking. When I could understand them, they would use words and phrases that I didn't know! The second half I could understand much better because it was slower paced. The play was very good and all the actors were excellent, however, it was very long - nearly 3 hours with an intermission!

Inside the Abbey Theate.

Outside the Abbey Theatre

Tomorrow we have the entire day to ourselves in Dublin. We are going to take the "hop-on-hop-off" bus tour so I'm very excited to do that!!
On Thursday we (the Ulster students) will be heading out to live with our host families! I'm very very excited for this experience! My host family is in Wexford County in the city Gorey. There are also two boys, one is 20 and one is 18. Hopefully they can tell me a little more about the university life in Ireland.

Feeling the Luck of the Irish

It is the morning of my first official day in Dublin! The plane trips (I had three) all went rather smoothly. The first one though, even though it was a shorter flight, was interesting because there was a lady sitting in the aisle seat that loved to talk about herself and her family. The poor guy in the middle seat got most of it. haha But she was a very nice lady, but she just wouldn't let any of us sleep if we wanted to!
Then came the long flight from San Francisco to London. I tried to sleep on the plane with special consideration that it would help me get over jet lag sooner. I never fully fell asleep, but it did help me adjust to the different time zone. After that, we got the wonderful experience of going through tons of security before boarding or last flight back to Dublin.

The large plane I took from San Francisco to London

The funniest part of this last airplane trip was the fact that I could not understand a lot of the announcements they made on the plane (electronic devices, etc) because of how quickly they were speaking!
From there, we went through one more security checkpoint then we were outside in the Dublin air. We took the airbus, then walked to the Abbey Court Hostel where we will be staying for the next few days. I have to say that we didn't blend in so well with our suitcases!
 We checked in at the front desk and they told us that our room was the next building outside to the right through the red door and our room is on the first floor. So we go outside to the next "building" and try the red doors (yes plural), but they either didn't open or did not lead to any rooms. So we went back and asked them again. They said now to go through the purple door! We went back outside and there it was, the secret purple door.

We go inside, and there were stairs going up. But wait, I thought we were on the first floor? Well, the first floor here is really the second floor in America. So our room is very small, but we have a view of Dublin outside of our window.

The view outside of our room

We got settled in then we went out to find something to eat. We ended up eating at an Italian place. The food was really good and our waiter, while he was difficult to understand, was very nice.
Then we attempted to find a dance studio that I found a brochure on, but we were not successful. We went back to our room and looked it up online and found where the location is so we can try to find it again.
Then we all basically went to bed early and get some rest from all of our traveling!
I have to say, since our window has to be open or else our room will get very hot and stuffy, it was very noisy outside. I guess Saturday nights are very popular in Dublin.
 This morning we went to get breakfast that was provided to us. I had toast, orange juice, and an apple. They didn't offer us anything that was Irish-specific, so I can't tell you what a typical Irish breakfast is like.

Look what I found! A horse-drawn carriage merging in traffic. They were going fast!

At noon today, we meet the Arcadia staff to have lunch until 2:00. Then we have the rest of the day off!! My hope is that we will be able to find that dance studio. Free classes this week after 6:00pm. I think I'm already feeling the luck of the Irish! = )